Container and closure



Dec. 16, 1969 s. TURNER CONTAINER AND CLOSURE Filed May 6, 1968 INVENTOR. LLOYD S. TURNER ATTORNEYS nited States Patent 3,484,016 CONTAINER AND CLOSURE Lloyd S. Turner, Los Gatos, Califi, assignor to Basic Products Development Company, Inc., Oakland, Calif, a corporation of California Filed May 6, 1968, Ser. No. 726,732 Int. Cl. B65d 43/10, 41/22 US. Cl. 22060 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bottle or container and closure or cap which is adapted to be opened only by applying pressure to the top central area thereof. This closure is provided with a skirt having an inwardly extending projection which is adapted to be lodged in an annular recess provided around the outside of the mouth of the container so that when the closure is applied to the container the inwardly extending projection of the skirt of the closure is pressed into this recess. Either the underside of the closure or the top surface of the mouth of the container are provided with an annular ridge which functions as a fulcrum when pressure is applied to the top center of the closure. This ridge also forms a seal between the mouth of the container and the closure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to closures for containers in general. More particularly this invention relates to closures or caps which are adapted to be opened only by applying pressure in a predetermined manner thereto.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved closure for containers, said closure being adapted to be removed from the container only by applying pressure, tending to press the central part of the closure into the container to release the skirt of the closure from gripping the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved container closure which is of the security type so that it cannot be opened by small children.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved container closure of simple and inexpensive construction which may be efficiently produced in mass production.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a simple and inexpensive closure for containers which may be readily produced in mass production and which is constructed so that it is substantially impossible for a small child to remove it from the container, whereby the container lends itself to packaging of articles such as medicines, pills and the like. The closure of this invention is provided with a cover member which is of generally circular bowed configuration and its central part is above its outer portion when it is positioned over the mouth of the container. A skirt extends downwardly from the circumference of the cover member and this skirt is provided with an inwardly extending projection which is adapted to snap into an annular recess provided to the container around the outside of the mouth thereof. A fulcrum is provided, either around the edge of the mouth of the container or on the underside of the cover member so that when downward pressure is applied to the top central part of the cover member, the lower part of the skirt carrying the inwardly extending projection is caused to expand and raise this projection from the recess on the container. The cover member may be removed from the container by applying a slight sideward pressure thereto in cases where the surface on the top of the container surrounding the mouth thereof is flat. In cases where this surface is sloping downwardly away from the mouth of the container and toward the aforesaid annular recess, the inwardly extending projection provided to the skirt engages this slightly sloping surface at the outer extremities thereof and the aforesaid projection rests on this surface when the pressure on the upper central part of the cover member is released. In addition to the above features, the container may also be provided with an annular protrusion around the bottom of the annular recess. Said annular protnlsion extends slightly beyond the bottom of the skirt when the cover member is placed on the container so that a person desiring to open the container cannot have access to the lower side of the skirt and the cover member cannot be pried off of the container.

Further details of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of this invention showing the cover member in place on the top of a container;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 1 in which the inwardly extending projection on the skirt of the cover member is shown released from the container by the application of pressure to the upper central part of the cover;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified embodiment of this invention in which the fulcrum provided between the cover member and the container is formed integral with the container surrounding the mouth thereof;

FIG. 3a is a partial sectional view showing the relation between the container shown in FIG. 3 and the cover member skirt when pressure is applied to the cover member to release said skirt from the container;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing the closure of this invention applied to a blow molded type of container;

FIG. 4a is a partial sectional view showing the relation between the container shown in FIG. 4 and the cover member skirt when pressure is applied to the cover member to release said skirt from the container;

FIG. 5 is a partial view in section showing the relative position of the skirt of the cover member and the top of the container assumed when pressure is applied to the top of the cover member and showing the position of the skirt in broken lines when lateral pressure is applied thereto after the application of the vertical pressure;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view showing the closure of this invention applied to a container or plane surface provided with a mouth or hole formed by rolling the circumferential wall of the mouth outwardly; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view showing the closure of this invention applied to a plane surface which is provided with an insert in a hole thereof for receiving the closure of this invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral I 10 designates the upper part or neck of a container which may be made of plastic, glass, metal or the like, and which is provided with a mouth 11. The container is also provided with a gradually downwardly sloping smooth surface 12. which extends from the mouth 11 to the curved part 13 having a curvature of short radius. An annular recess 14- is provided to the container around the mouth thereof, and directly below the curved surface 13. The bottom of the annular recess 14 is terminated by the projection 15 which extends outwardly somewhat beyond the lower end of the skirt 16 of cover member 17.

Cover member 17 is made of flexible plastic material such as polyethylene so that when pressure is applied thereto, as indicated by the arrow 19 shown in FIG. 2, the skirt 16 is expanded slightly and moved upward over the curved surface 13. The polyethylene plastic may have higher or lower densities, depending upon the pliability desired. The security feature of this invention may be heightened by using a less pliable plastic. Skirt 16 is formed integral With the outer circumferential part of the cover member 17 and extends downwardly therefrom so that the inwardly extending projection 16a formed on the inside of the skirt 16 is adapted to fit into the recess 14 of the container when the cover member is pressed onto the top of the container. It will be noted that the projection 15 on the container is positioned immediately below the skirt 16 when the cover member is secured to the container. Thus, this projection prevents access to the lower surface of the skirt and the cover member cannot be pried off Without the use of tools such as a sharp blade.

Cover member 17 is of generally domed configuration with the central part thereof positioned above the outer circumferential areas thereof, as shown in FIG. 1. An annular projection 18, which is attached to the underside of the cover member 17 and which is adapted to engage the container around the mouth 11 thereof when the cover member is positioned over the mouth of the container, functions as a fulcrum when pressure is applied to the top central part of the cover member 17, as indicated by the arrow 19 in FIG. 2. The central part of the cover member 17 is pushed downwardly by this pressure toward the mouth of the container and at the same time the skirt 16 of the cover member is slightly expanded, as indicated by arrow 26, and raised so that the internal projection 16a thereof is released from the recess 14. The bottom curved surface of the projection 16a is simultaneously brought upward in relation to the curved surface 13. When the pressure applied in the direction of the arrow 19 is released, the inner surface of the projection 16a engages the upper outer surface of the curved surface 13 and the cover member is released from the top of the container.

If the inwardly extending projection of the skirt of the cover member does not quite clear the curved surface around the outside of the mouth portion of the container, as previously described, the cover member may be removed from the container by the application of lateral pressure, as indicated by the arrow 26a in FIG. 5, after the application of pressure in the direction of arrow 19 in FIG. 2. The inwardly extending projection 16e is caused to slide on the upper part of the curved surface 13a and onto the surface 12a as the cover member is pushed laterally on the top of the container. This type of operation may be used to facilitate the removal of the cover member off of containers in which the surface 12a is substantially flat and is not inclined, as indicated at 12 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The inclined surface 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 supports the internal ridge or fulcrum 18 above the curved surface 13, thereby enabling the internal projection 16a of the skirt 16 to clear the curved surface 13 quite easily, as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the projection 16a is on the upper part of the surface 13 when the pressure on the top of the cover member is released.

A modified form of this invention is shown in FIG. 3 in which the container 10a is provided with a projection 18a around the mouth 11a thereof. The projection 18a corresponds to the projection 18 provided to the underside of the cover 17, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and functions as a fulcrum when downward pressure is applied to the central part of the cover member 17 so that the skirt 16 thereof is expanded slightly, as shown in FIG. 3a, and the inwardly extending projection 16a thereof is released from the recess 14 substantially as described in connection with the description of FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 4 there is shown an embodiment of this invention in which the cover member 17a is applied to a container 10b of the blow molded type having a relatively narrow mouth 11b. The container 19b may be of relatively large size and the wall structure thereof may extend substantially horizontally away from the mouth, as indicated in the broken lines in FIG. 4. Since the mouth 11b of the container is relatively narrow, the cover member 17a may be provided with a projection 17b extending upwardly from the central part thereof to which pressure is adapted to be applied to press the central part of the cover member inward toward the mouth of the container. The cover member 17a is in this case also provided with a skirt 16 which is provided with an internally extending projection adapted to be received in the recess 14 of the container. When pressure is applied to the projection 17b, the skirt 16 of cover member is expanded and raised slightly, as shown in FIG. 4a, so that the inwardly extending projection thereof clears the upper outer curved surface of the part 13 of the container and the cover member is released therefrom.

In FIG. 6 there is shown an embodiment of this invention in which this cover member 17c, which is of substantially the same shape as the cover member 17 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is applied to a metal container 20. The mouth is formed in the metal container 20* by rolling the metal 21 around the mouth to form a curved surface 21a which corresponds to the curved surface 13 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and under which there is provided a recess for receiving the inwardly extending projection 16a of the skirt. The cover member is released from the container 20 in the same manner as in the other embodiments of this invention by applying pressure to the upper central part thereof, thereby slightly expanding and raising the skirt and allowing the projection 16c thereof to clear the curved surface 21a.

The embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 7 is provided with an annular insert 22 which may be made of flexible material such as plastic, and which is adapted to be inserted into the hole 23 of surface 24. The insert 22. is provided with a tapered lip portion 25 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the mouth 23 so that when the insert is to be applied to the container 24 it may be pressed into the mouth 23 of the container until the edge of the mouth is lodged in the recess provided therefor in the insert above the lip 25. When the insert is attached to the container 24 it forms an annular recess with a surface of the container for receiving the inwardly extending projection of the skirt 16d of the cover member 17d. This recess is just below the curved surface 22a of the insert 22. Cover member 17d may be removed from the container 24 in the same manner as in the other embodiments of this invention by applying pressure to the upper central part of the cover member and pressing the fulcrum ridge against the top of the insert sufliciently to cause the skirt 16d to be expanded and raised slightly. The inwardly extending projection on skirt 16d clears the curved surface 22a as the skirt is moved upward by the application of the aforesaid pressure.

While I have shown a preferred form of the invention. it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown.

What I claim is:

1. In a container and closure adapted to close the container in a substantially secure fashion so that it is practically impossible to remove the closure from the container without the use of tools unless pressure is exerted on the top central part of the closure, the combination comprising a cover member of resilient plastic material adapted to close and seal the mouth of the container, said cover member having a generally circular configuration, said cover member having a depending skirt of annular shape forming the circumference thereof, the radially inner surface of said skirt and the opposing surface of said container having complementary mating surfaces, said container having a continuous annular plane below said skirt extending radially outward beyond the outer edge of the skirt of said cover member, one of said mating surfaces being an annular flange which extends into an annular recess forming the other of said mating surfaces, said annular flange being adapted to be lodged in said annular recess and the bottom of said skirt being adapted to closely engage the upper surface of said continuous annular plane to prevent upward pressure from being applied from below said skirt w en said cover member is attached to said container to close the mouth thereof, said container having a surface around said mouth positioned radially Well inside of said skirt which is adapted to receive the force of pressure exerted downwardly generally at the center of said cover member which pressure tends to push said center area of said cover member into said mouth and causes bottom surfaces of said cover member to engage said container around said mouth and produces lever action from the center area of said cover member toward said skirt, said lever action causes said skirt to expand by virtue of its resilience and simultaneously raises said skirt sufficiently to disengage said mating surfaces and lift one of said mating surfaces above the other, said cover being adapted to assume its normal unstrained shape wherein the central part of said cover is concave outwardly when said pressure is released with said cover member then resting freely on said container so that it may be easily removed therefrom.

2. In a container and closure adapted to close the container in a substantially secure fashion so that it is practically impossible to remove the closure from the container without the use of tools unless pressure is exerted on the top central part thereof, the combination as set forth in claim 1 further characterised in that the area of said skirt is insufficient to provide effective finger hold thereon to turn and remove said cover member from said container.

3. In a container and closure adapted to close the container in a substantially secure fashion so that it is practically impossible to remove the closure from the container Without the use of tools unless pressure is exerted on the top central part thereof, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterised in that said cover member is provided with an annular projection on the under side thereof which closely engages said container surface around the mouth thereof to form a seal there with, said annular projection forming the fulcrum for said lever action.

4. In a container and closure adapted to close the container in a substantially secure fashion the combination comprising a cover member of resilient plastic material adapted to close and seal the mouth of the container, said cover member having a generally circular configuration,

21 depending skirt of cylindrical shape forming the circumference of said cover member, said skirt having a radially inwardly extending circumferential bead adjacent the lower end thereof, said container having a radially outwardly extending annular flange around the top thereof and a member providing a continuous annular upwardly facing plane below said flange extending radially outward beyond the outer edge of said cover member skirt, said inwardly extending bead of said skirt being adapted to be lodged in a recess below said flange of said container and the bottom of said skirt being adapted to closely engage the upper surface of said continuous annular plane when said cover member is attached to said container to close the mouth thereof, said container having a surface around said mouth positioned radially well inside of said skirt which is adapted to receive the force of pressure exerted downwardly generally at the center of said cover member which pressure tends to push said center area of said cover member into said mouth, the force of said downward pressure producing lever action from the center area of said cover member to said skirt that cause the lower part of said skirt to expand and raise sufficiently to lift said head out of said recess and above said flange whereby when said pressure is released from the center of said cover member said cover member assumes its normal unstrained shape wherein the central part of said cover is concave outwardly and rests freely on said container and may be easily removed therefrom.

5. In an article of manufacture comprising a container and closure or cap therefor, the combination as set forth in claim 4, further characterized in that the wall of said container around said mouth is rolled and bent outwardly upon itself and provides said annular surface around the mouth, the outer part of said rolled wall being curved downward and providing said annular recess therebelow for receiving said inwardly extending head.

6. In an article of manufacture comprising a container and closure or cap therefor, the combination as set forth in claim 4, further characterized in that the wall of said container around said mouth is deformed to provide a shelf having said surface around said mouth on the top thereof, the outer part of said deformed wall being curved downward and providing said annular recess therebelow for receiving said inwardly extending head.

7. In a container and closure adapted to close the container in a substantially secure fashion so that it is practically impossible to remove the closure from the container Without the use of tools unless pressure is exerted on the top central part thereof, the combination as set forth in claim 4, further characterized in that the mouth of said container including said radially extending annular flange comprises an insert of flexible plastic adapted to be pressed into an opening of the container, said insert having a. groove that is adapted to receive the lip of the said opening of said container and the surface of said container around said plastic insert forming said continuous annular plate surface that is adapted to be closely engaged by said skirt of said cover member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,096,897 7/ 1963 Hansen 22060 X 3,170,588 2/1965 Lyon 220 0 3,187,964 6/1965 Foster 22060 X 3,302,812 2/1967 Busch et a1. 21541 X 3,398,848 8/1968 Donovan 21541 X FOREIGN PATENTS 697,583 9/ 1953 Great Britain.

I OSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner I. R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 215-41 

